Al Shifa
Shifa(verb,Arabic) - recover, heal, cure, recuperate, get well A Shifa is a Gran who has chosen to dedicate their life to the healing arts. These Grans are passionate, dedicated individuals willing to travel all of Arilyan to find new remedies, potions and elixirs, and heal those in need. Once they complete their studies, they return to the Al Shifa territory tucked in the hills of Arilyan where not only pack members live, but the sick and injured as well. Heading Al’Shifa is Amirah, who spends most of her time at or around the home location keeping fresh herbs stocked and tending to Grans seeking shelter. When she travels farther to find more exotic ingredients, those who show up only need to wait, as she always returns home. Amirah welcomes all creatures who wish to share in her life’s purpose. Who among you will join her? Those who wish to be a Shifa must take an Oath “I, __, vow to dedicate my life to serving those who need me most. I will not turn down the sick or injured. I will put their needs above my own. I will act with empathy and compassion to all that I may meet. I will be a symbol of hope for Arilyan and her children, until the end of my days.” Heading Al’Shifa is Amirah, who spends most of her time at or around the home location keeping fresh herbs stocked and tending to Grans that would come to her. When she travels farther to find more exotic ingredients, those who show up need only wait and she will dutifully return. She welcomes all souls who wish to share in her life’s purpose. Who among you will join her? ----- Grans of all ages are able to join Al'Shifa. Orphaned cubs and cubs under 1 year of age dropped off by their parents will be trained as apprentices. Cubs over one year of age and matured adults will receive basic training as needed, though it is assumed those interested in joining would already have some knowledge of the healing arts. These training sessions can be role-played, or they can be assumed to have taken place at the player’s choice. Grans do not have to stay at the home location. Any Shifa is welcome to stay within the confines of the territory to help with tending to the sick and injured, but it is also encouraged that Shifa travel across the map in order to extend their helpful reach as far as possible. There are always new things to learn, and there is no lack of grans to help anywhere one might go. What is a Al’Shifa, really? Encouraged to learn herbalism, a touch of alchemy, with some talent connecting with the genus loci (“spirits of place”), members of the Al’Shifa are the “spiritualists” of Arilyan. Any gran with a leaning towards the healing arts, or that happens to be a bit more in touch with the land are welcome with open arms, especially those who worship their patron deity, Sylvanus, Warden of the Vale. That being said, grans of all faiths and ages are able to join Al'Shifa, though it is assumed those interested in joining would already have some knowledge of the healing arts. Their borders are open to orphaned cubs and cubs under 1 year of age dropped off by their parents, as they are trained as apprentices and learn faster than older grans. Cubs over one year of age and matured adults will receive basic training as needed, and are held to the same standards as those who have a natural healing talent. (These training sessions can be role-played, or they can be assumed to have taken place at the player’s choice.) After their training, Shifas have a couple of options. They are welcome to stay within the confines of the territory to help tend to the sick and injured, but also encouraged to travel in order to extend their helpful reach as far as possible. There are always new things to learn, and no lack of grans to help anywhere one might go. How do you gain rank within the pack? Working with a mentor and learning techniques is the basic way of earning rank. Simply, the more knowledge you know, the higher your rank. Certain ranks can only be achieved by reaching certain criteria, such as Spirit Walkers proving their responsibility and connection with nature, or priests/priestesses showing their devotion to Sylvanus. Who is Sylvanus? Sylvanus, Warden of the Vale, is the patron deity of Al’Shifa. He resides over nature, new growth, and the healing arts. He has a shrine in the Golden Forest. Amirah is the High Priestess of Sylvanus, and communes with him in order to send Shifa on healing missions, or to gather rare herbs that have shown themselves somewhere in Arilyan. Shifa who are both ranked as Priest/Priestess and Spirit Walker may also commune with Sylvanus, though the event is very rare Who is Hexxus? Hexxus the Doombringer is a harbinger of destruction to the natural world. At current he sleeps deep within the northern Volcano. He is the direct rival to Sylvanus, as Sylvanus presides over nature and her life, while Hexxus brings death to nature and grans by way of hellfire. Any Shifa of any rank who is caught in worship of Hexxus is exiled. Member Roles Shifa This is a blanket role for all official healers of the pack (minus Guardians) who are past the apprentice stage and can be used as a title, such as “Shifa So and so”. The responsibilities of this role include healing the injured, traveling, herb gathering, and experimenting to always be learning new things. Apprentice This role is for cubs or older granthrow with no experience in the healing arts. These members will be given a Mentor to learn off of. Their responsibilities include studying and gathering herbs, making minor poultices and potions, and occasionally performing minor healing tasks. They become a regular pack member when their mentor decides it. Granthrows do not begin their apprenticeship till the age of 8 months. Mentor These are well traveled grans with a high level of experience in the healing arts, and at least one apprentice to pass their knowledge down to. They have the same responsibilities of any Shifa, however teaching their apprentice is considered the highest priority. Guardian Guardians are special members of the pack with the responsibility of guarding the territory from anyone who wishes to prey on the sick and weak. They have some basic knowledge of healing, and are expected to help any injured gran until they can reach the safety of the center of the territory, but their focus is primarily on guarding those who cannot guard themselves. They can be apprentices and mentors but only to other guardians, and while they’re still a “Shifa”, their official title is “Guardian so and so”. Shifa Ranks Brem -Brem, meaning Sprout, are entry level apprentices that are still learning the healing arts. When they successfully assist their Mentor heal another creature without constant prompting, they can graduate to Shutila. This stage can last anywhere between six months to a year, and a Brem cannot be younger than 8 months old. If a member of the pack stays in this role longer than a year, the Brem is considered untalented in the healing arts and sent to live with another pack or trained as a Guardian. Shutila - '''Shutila, meaning Sapling, are more experienced members who may or may not still be apprentices. They know how to handle many different injuries, and have actively assisted in the healing of several grans. When they’ve successfully healed a severely injured gran without a Shajara giving any prompting/correcting them, they can graduate past this level. This stage can last anywhere between three years to the rest of the gran’s life. If they cannot complete this stage, they can still assist the pack, however, they’re just not one the most skilled members '''Shajara - Shajara, meaning Tree, are the most experienced and relied on members in the pack. In a crisis lower ranks look to them for advice, and their knowledge is the most trusted. They are incredibly skilled in the healing arts and have saved and aided many granthrow. At this level, they often wear a gold leaf in their hair at all times, as a gift frim Sylvanus (Given by Amirah not Syl himself). It’s at this stage that a Shifa will consider becoming a mentor, especially in their old age. A Shajara will never be younger than four. Classifications of Study Spirit Walkers This is a rank that can be paired with any of the other ranks. These grans have shown responsibility and compassion for nature and her spirits, and have proven to be spiritually inclined. They can learn a mixture of herbs that lets them commune with the spirits of nature. This can lead them to finding granthrow in need, or reveal the location of rare herbs. Experienced and trusted Spirit Walkers who also share the Priest/Priestess rank can even commune with Sylvanus himself on rare occasion. Braucher Usually a classification for Guardians, Brauchers are those who focus solely on protection practices. They know what herbs to eat to help boost their energy, how to make items grans can wear for protection, and have passed down phrases/prayers to call upon Sylvanus for help. They call those who worship Hexxus, "Hexerei", and see them as the biggest threat to what Shifas are trying to accomplish. Priest/Priestess These grans are responsible for the worship and rituals of Sylvanus, in an attempt to gain his attention and ask for his aid. Extremely talented healers, they rely on the will of Sylvanus to achieve their goals. Because of their already established relationship with him, Priests/Priestesses have an easier time hearing Sylvanus on rare occasions. Diviners More commonly used by Guardians, this classification is talented at watching for signs, omens, and reading the stars. They can do things such as predict the coming weather, plot the migration of herds, and even tell if a famine is coming. They are often very sensitive to the environment around them, due to their strong connection to both the earth and stars. They are more likely to know when Sylvanus is about to show himself, due to their talent at observing signs. Alchemist An Alchemist is a gran who favors creating salves, poultices, and potions. They enjoy mixing things together and experimenting to find the next remedy or something to bolster a gran’s senses or fortitude. Some of these grans are considered dangerous because, for those who create remedies, there are also those who create poisons. Alchemists who deal with deadly herbs are watched closely for their conduct, and are usually only grans who are incredibly trusted within the pack. Poisons are to only be used to end a terminal gran’s suffering on their specific request to do so. Any other use of poison will result in exile. Ranks for Guardians only Quercus - Quercus, meaning oak, are entry level guardian apprentices or general guardians. Their job is to patrol with their mentor or other Cinis, and do little healing. They're well known for their speed and are often sent as messengers for the pack. Cinis - Cinis, meaning ash tree, are guardians who are trusted to lead small groups and provide minor healing to those in need. They rank above the average guardian but still need to reach Jaspidea rank. Jaspidea - Jaspidea, meaning Golden Ash, is only for guardians only who've proven themselves to be the most loyal to their pack. They often guard the inner most level of the territory and are close to Amirah and the other priestesses. At this level, they often wear a golden leaf in their hair at all times as a gift from Sylvanus (given by Amirah not Syl himself). No member of this rank will be under the age of 5, as they must also be trained as healers. Territory Sylvanus' Shelter While Shifas roam the lands and help whoever they need, their primary residency is right smack dab in the middle of the map. This allows them to get anywhere they need to as fast as they can. It's nestled between the hills, with the main den located in a cavern next to a spring fed from aquifers that bubble up under the earth, called Sylvanus' Shelter. There are quite a few caves in the area where the pack seek shelter from predators, keep the sickest grans, or where they raise cubs till their old enough to go to the shelter. ((For more visuals, the hills can best be compared to the Texas Hill Country and Sylvanus' Shelter is based off Hamilton Pool)) Members * Amirah * Corvina * Imanu * Brigid * Silbereisen